Here's what you need to know and what documents to bring with you before you apply for a marriage license application in York County. We recommend getting this legal aspect of your wedding out of the way about a month before your marriage ceremony date.

It is important that you verify all information with the York County Register of Wills office before making any wedding or travel plans.
York County Judicial CenterRegister & Clerk of Orphans' CourtMarriage License Bureau45 North George St., 2nd flr.York, PA 17401 717.771.92888:00 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. / M - F $50.00 cash only.
Closed for holidays.

Marriage License in York County

You will need to present photo identification such as your driver's license, state ID, or passport. Social Security numbers will be requested.

Residency Requirement:

You do not have to be a resident of Pennsylvania. However, some counties require that you both speak English or bring with you someone who can translate.

Previous Marriages:

You will need to show a certified copy of the final divorce decree, with court raised seal, of your divorce or annulment decree or know the date of death of a deceased spouse.

If you have resumed your maiden name, related documents must be shown. Foreign documents must be translated into English.

Waiting Period:

There's a three (3) day waiting period in Pennsylvania.

You can request a waiver of the waiting period. Send a letter as early as possible addressed to the County Register, requesting a Waiver and your reason why. Your letter should contain both names, a telephone number, proof of your wedding date (a wedding invitation will work), and a return address so a letter of confirmation to be sent to you. There is an additional fee for this service.

Military 3 day Waiver:

In an emergency or where extraordinary circumstances exist, a Judge of the Orphans' Court Division, upon petition on a form supplied by the Clerk, may grant a waiver of the three-day waiting period.

A military applicant on active duty upon short leave may obtain a waiver of the three-day waiting period upon petition made in person through the Orphans' Court Clerk to a Judge of the Orphans' Court Division.

A copy of military orders may be required at the time of application. There is no fee for an active military waiver.

Tests:

Proxy Marriages in Pennsylvania:

Cousin Marriages in Pennsylvania:

Common-Law Marriages:

No. However, your common-law marriage will be recognized in Pennsylvania if it was created before January 1, 2005.

Same Sex Marriages:

Yes. Same-sex marriage in Pennsylvania became legal on May 20, 2014, when a U.S. federal district court judge ruled that the states' 1996 statutory ban on recognising same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.

Under 18:

If either of you are under 18 years of age, you must pay an additional fee, show your Birth Certificate, and have the written consent of a parent or guardian. Anyone under 16 years of age needs parental consent and the approval of a Judge of the Orphans Court.

Name Change:

Getting a marriage license with your new name on it does not mean your name has automatically changed. If you need to change your last name, you can use an online marriage name change kit.

Officiants:

Any ordained minister, priest or rabbi of any regularly established church or congregation, Judges, and Justices of Peace may perform wedding ceremonies. Mayors of cities and boroughs are also authorized to perform marriage ceremonies.See Pennsylvania Statutes, Title 23, Chapter 15 for more information.

Self-Uniting Marriage License:

Yes. If you want this type of license, you need to inform the clerk before you begin the application process.

Miscellaneous:

A Pennsylvania marriage license is valid for sixty (60) days. What this means is you two have 60 days to get married and have your marriage license officially recorded. If you wait past that time frame, you can't get married without applying for and paying for another marriage license.

In Pennsylvania copies of marriage records were required to be filed starting in 1885. Copies of these marriages may be obtained from the courthouse in the county where the marriage license was issued. There are three types of marriage records available. The first is a plain copy of the marriage record which is typically for family genealogy records or personal use. The second (one-seal) and third type (triple-seal) are for official purposes and used by the persons named in the records. Order Copies of Records Online